Master of Arts (MA)

Master of Arts Programmes

The School of Linguistics and Applied Language Studies offers MA programmes in TESOL, Linguistics, Applied Linguistics and Second Language Learning and Teaching. These programmes have been developed to meet the needs of students and teachers of English as a second/foreign language from around the world and have been designed to provide flexibility to students.

More than 18 courses are offered onsite and by distance each year; this allows for many customisable options in how the programme content can be tailored to meet the needs of each student. The MA can be completed in one to three years of study, and three start dates each year increase the potential to accommodate the constraints on students' time.

The Master’s degree can be completed by coursework or by thesis. A Master's degree by coursework requires you to complete specific courses, as well as offering the opportunity to do a research project, while a Master's degree by thesis does not require coursework - the entire degree involves researching a topic that interests you and producing a thesis to support your work. The Master’s by Thesis option is not available to distance students. Read more about the Master’s by Thesis option.

MA thesis students are normally required to complete within one year of first enrolling (or two-years for half-time students) - see the Master's Thesis Policy for details. MA by coursework candidates are normally required to complete the degree within one year and six months of first enrolling (or up to four years for students who are part-time).

The comprehensive resources of the Victoria University of Wellington are available to all students. For those learning off-campus, web-based resources allow regular contact between lecturers and domestic and international students, providing a rich learning experience.

Application (for new students only)

Domestic Student Applications

Domestic students (i.e. New Zealand citizens and Permanent Residents) applying for the MA by coursework please go to the Online Enrolment System to apply. If your application is accepted, the system will progress you through to enrolment.

Core Courses

An MA involves 180 points usually made up of twelve 15-point courses.

When completing your MA part-time, you may have to wait to do a core course as each MA course is only taught once per year. For more information about core courses, view the page for the programme you are interested in: